Time stresses me out. I hate being late and nearly always arrive early. So imagine my stress levels when I realised that I had completely missed my hot stone massage at Cowshed at the St. Moritz Hotel in Cornwall. I’d booked it for the wrong day. Big whoops. Luckily the lovely manager understood and booked me in for the same time the next day.

I arrived slightly early (of course), filled in a form and was taken into one of the six candle lit treatment rooms at the back. I undressed and lay a towel over myself before the masseuse reentered the room, turned the lights down and explained the treatment to me.

A hot stone massage uses volcanic basalt stones, which are bathed in warm water and anointed with spicy, sensual aromas. They are placed on key energy points of the body and are used to massage using traditional techniques easing pain and tension and enhancing relaxation.

I sat up while my masseuse placed hot stones on the bed, which touched certain energy points of my back when I lay back down. She then placed a hot flannel over my eyes and a small cold stone in the middle of my forehead, which I was told would regulate my body temperature.

Then it was time to relax. I chose the jasmine, chamomile and sandalwood massage oil, which in Cow Shed terms is called the ‘Lazy Cow’. All treatments at Cowshed use botanical products, derived from the garden at Babington House, Somerset and are hand-blended there for the ultimate pampering experience.

My masseuse started with my arm and gently massaged up and down before discreetly incorporating hot stones into the massage. The stones, although very hot at first, were soothing and incredibly relaxing. Just before she moved onto another part of the body, she left the stones touching key energy points of the area that she had just worked on before replacing the towel so that I didn’t get cold. She then moved onto the leg and the other side before I was asked to turn over on to my front.

Somewhere between turning over onto my front and the end of my treatment, I must have fallen asleep. Thoughts were whirring around my mind, which morphed into the first stages of strange dreams. I regained consciousness a few times and tried my hardest not to drift off again. Never before had I felt so totally and utterly relaxed. An hour and fifteen minutes of pure bliss passed and before I knew it I was drinking a large glass of water before walking out of the hotel in a daze to be greeted by very unwelcome cold air and drizzle. I felt relaxed for the rest of the evening and for the first time in weeks I slept solidly through the night without waking once. If only I could have a hot stone masseuse on hand every time I’m late. Wouldn’t that be nice.

Cowshed Hot Stone Massage costs £90 for 75 minutes.

Food For Think was a guest at Cowshed, St Moritz Hotel.